A Change Of Mind
by Avatar Kyoshi
Summary: Jump into the world of Avatar and join Katara andZuko in an alternative story of Zuko agreeing to help Aang with his fire bending and also finding romance along the way. PLease Read&Review!
1. The Talk

Where on earth was I? I looked around and realised that I was in Zuko's bedroom in his ship.

"Not again" I moaned as I got up and out of his bed, the last time I had been on Zuko's ship we had- never mind the point was that I had to get off this ship because a lot of things could happen.

I ran to the door, darn it! Locked again.

"Rrrgh, think, think, think… Ah" I pulled a clip from my hair and started to fiddle with the lock. " Come on, come on" Click! I opened the door a crack and looked down the corridor. Phew, the coast was clear. I walked out into the corridor and almost immediately found myself being grabbed by my arm.

"You're coming with me prisoner" The guard demanded and I was taken away, where on the ship? I don't know.

The interior was practically red, everything was red, the walls, the furniture, the crew, I mean their uniform.

"Ah, I see that you have tried to escape again my little Katara"

"Firstly I'm not yours, Secondly why do you want me here?"

"You are the perfect bait for that puny little avatar, and the answer for the other question shall have to work out yourself"

"Can I speak with you in your quarters please Zuko?"

"Fine" I was grabbed by the arm and led back to Zuko's bedroom.

"What do you want?" Zuko asked uncomfortably.

"What do you think, for you to just stop trying to capture Aang! What is the point of it I mean yeah you'll have your honour back but after that what will you do? What will be your goal in life?" I knew trying to persuade him would be no use on his own ship. I needed to get him off the ship, without all his crew and everything interfering.

"Katara look you know that I want to capture Aang and be with you but I really don't want to be torn apart by these two disasters. Look the real reason that I captured you was that I wanted to talk to you"

"About what?"

"About the decision I'm going to have to make, Katara its either my honour or you"


	2. Last Time

That night I didn't sleep a wink but not just because Zuko was right next to me but because I was having major flashbacks in my dreams.

"Aang! Quickly made an earth wall around everyone, I'll get Zuko"

"No Katara I can't let you do that!" But before he could protest anymore I charged at Zuko and Aang did as he was told but Unfortunately Zuko noticed me before I could get close to him.

"What are you doing filthy peasant? Trying to attack me?" he sneered.

"Not trying Zuko, I am" and with that word we both started to attack. First I lashed out with a water whip but he spread a fire wall in front of him which made our attack and defence cancel each other out.

"You're no match for me peasant" He chided.

"What on earth made you think that?" I bended some water from the stream next to us and formed a wall out of ice then pushed it towards him with immense speed but he jumped right over it and landed back on his feet.

"Taking some lessons from Ty Lee are we?"

"Come with me peasant or your friends get it" Suddenly I realised that when me and Zuko had been fighting troops had been gathering behind him and were now in groups of ten and twenty. I knew that I had to surrender but it just didn't feel right.

"Fine I'll come with you but promise me that nobody else will get hurt"

"Fine" After that I was mounted on a Rhino and we galloped of to Zuko's ship. I was flung into Zuko's room and left all alone. I sat on the bed and realised something that if I had listened to Aang in the first place I wouldn't be there. Suddenly I heard a knock on the door and Zuko marched in looking very disgruntled.

" Why you agreed to come with me I don't know but I'm sure about one thing"

"What?"

"You and Aang are heading to Ba Sing Sai am I right?"

"How did you find that out?"

"Well it was rather simple, all I had to do was come in and say you're going to Ba Sing Sai"

"You little-" but I stopped myself from saying what I thought, "Touché Zuko"

"Katara why don't you come up on the deck with me and we can have a talk"

"Sure"_ Yes_ I thought as I was led up to the deck _This is my chance to persuade him to let me go. _

When we were up there Zuko took me to the edge of the ship and we looked up at the stars.

"You are so annoying" Zuko Remarked.

"What!"

"I mean in a good way" Zuko smiled.

"Oh"

"Katara have you ever thought about anybody in a way that makes you sort of like them?"

"What do you mean? Like, _Like _them, like them or friend like them?"

"_Like_ them, like them"

"No, not as far as I can remember" he turned round and lent on the edge of the ship which made him look so mature and well prince like.

"Katara I think I have that feeling now"

"Really! Well who about?"

"About… well about… about-"

"Sir the Avatar has been spotted" A guard reported.

"No! He can't show up now! No! No! No!" Zuko Repeated.

"Why Zuko?" I asked.

"Never mind, he'll be coming for you Katara so you had better get downstairs"

"But-"

"Guard take Katara down to my quarters, now!"

"Zuko!" I saw the look of hurt on the banished prince's face as I was dragged down to his room where upon I cried, and cried, and cried until I decided that staying down here would be no good so I slid the door open and sneaked up to the deck. Before anyone could notice me I ducked down behind a bunch of crates and started to listen to Zuko's orders.

"You three get the catapult ready, you start gathering everyone so we can work to capture the avatar together and you prepare all the weapons that are in the crates over there" he pointed to where I was hiding and the guards all went to work on their orders including Zuko who was stretching his muscles supposedly getting ready to fire bend. The guard that Zuko had ordered to prepare the weapons was coming over to me now so I moved behind the crate next to me and the guard took the crate which I was hiding behind.

A few minutes later Aang I could see that Aang had left Appa behind and was gliding on his glider towards the ship. I wanted to warn him but I knew I couldn't, by now he was near the ship and the catapult was ready to fire.

"Nearly there, nearly there, got him!"

"Get ready-"

"Zuko No!" but it was too late Aang had been hit and was plummeting towards the ocean, "How could you!"

"Katara I-" but I had already jumped over the edge and was now swimming towards the body of Aang. I made a surfboard out of ice, grabbed Aang by his shirt then skimmed along the waves to where Appa had lowered down near the water and jump on.

After that I never saw Zuko until he captured me on the very same ship.


	3. Questions, Questions, Questions

_**A Change of Mind**_

_**Chapter three: Questions, Questions, Questions.**_

**Authors Note's: Hi sorry I haven't talked to you in the past chapters but I decided that I was going to in this one so I hope you enjoy this chapter and have done in the past ones. And a special thank you to BeckyBoo12221 for reviewing the past chapter also sorry for it being such a short chapter, I think I have writers block :-. Anyway please read and enjoy!**

It was only two days after did I realise that the question I asked that morning would make a change of minds and save the whole world.

"Zuko?"

"Yeah?" He questioned.

"Umm I have a question"

"Yeah"

"Yeah what?" I replied agitated.

"What is the question?"

"Well…do you remember last time?"

"Yeah"

"Well… do you remember when you took me up on the deck?"

""Yeah"

"Well… do you remember that question you asked me?"

"Yeah"

"Well-"

"Just say it already!" Burst Zuko.

"Zuko!"

"I'm sorry it's just you were taking so long to talk"

"You're right, anyway what was-"

"The answer to that question? Well you know I said I had that feeling about somebody"

"yeah"

"Tha pers was you" Zuko blurted.

"What?"

"That person was you"

"Oh Zuko why didn't you tell me before" I rested my head on his shoulder and he put his arms around my waist.

"Because…well…because I thought it would embarrass you"

"No, I think it's cute"

"Cute?"

"I mean I think it's sweet of you"

"Really?"

"Really," I answered and he smiled at me" Zuko I have another question"

"Yeah?"

"Zuko would you like to come with me, Aang, Toph and Sokka, you could leave everything behind and just come with us. I mean Aang needs a firebending teacher and you're so experienced plus Aang will defeat the fire lord so you'll have to take your place on the throne and-"

"Katara, just stop! Look I want to be with you and it would be great if I could teach Aang firebending but after he defeated my dad I wouldn't be able to return to the throne, I just couldn't ok?"

"Zuko I didn't mean to-"

"I know" and he walked off.

"Why did I ask that question?" I quizzed myself and rushed down the corridors searching hopelessly trying to find Zuko so I could apologize to him.


	4. Put It To Use

_**Put It To Use**_

"Zuko?" I knocked on the door," are you in there?"

"Go away I don't want to talk to you" Zuko mumbled.

"Look I've come to apologise"

"I don't want you to apologize, I want you to stop bugging me" Zuko said again slightly raising his voice.

"I just want to know whether what you said was true or not"

"I don't know after what you said I'm not sure how I feel about you"

"How about you open the door and then we can talk it through" I suggested.

"Yeah, OK" I heard footsteps before the door opened a crack and Zuko peered through, I smiled and he opened the door to let me in.

"Well the first thing is Zuko that if you do want to come with me I have a plan to get us out of here"` I explained.

" What so you just came in here to try and convince me to come with you"

"No look that decision is totally up to you I'm just here because you captured me and you need me here, trust me if you didn't want me here I wouldn't be, I'd be long gone by now"

"You know that last bit wasn't really necessary"

"Yeah sorry"

"Katara I don't understand what I need to do-if I go with you and Aang beats my dad I won't be able to gain my honor back because I'll have been helping him but if I don't this war could go on for generations to come"

"Zuko you just remember that inside you" I poked his belly gently," There is the blood of the fire lord who started this war but I reckon there will always be the blood which could finish it and whether you put that blood to use is up to you"

"When did you become so great at doing speeches? I thought Sokka was the one who did the heroic speeches"

"Yeah well I guess I'm just full of surprises, you know I've always had it in me somewhere its just I decided to wait before putting it to use" I said and poked his belly again.

"I guess you are full of surprises" he put his arm round my waist yet again but I didn't mind I just went with it and put my arm round his.

….

….

….

….

"So are you going to come with me and Aang and Toph and Sokka?"

"Oh dear, spirits help me now"

"I thought you didn't believe in the spirits?"

"I don't it just sounds dramatic"


	5. Escape Plan

_**Escape Plan**_

"Wait where was I meant to go after that?" Zuko asked.

"Let's go through it again once more- after every one has come from the dining hall they go back to their quarters right?"

"Right, apart from me and all the crew who work down in the engine room"

"Right so you go up to the bit where they helm the ship and when no one is looking turn the main fuse off. Now all the ships lights go off and no one can see"

"Right"

"This is the bit where you didn't know where to go, but you don't have to technically go anywhere because I will blood bend you to the deck"

"Ok" Zuko said shakily.

"Where I will be waiting for you having sneaked up onto the deck in all the commotion"

"Are you sure that you'll be able to blood bend from that far away?"

"Let me finish and yes I will be able to blood bend from that far away, so we wait up on the deck until the power gets back on and then the crew will come looking for you where they will find me dragging you off the edge of the ship. They'll try to help but it will just be too late we'll be over the side of the ship"

"Where do we go after that?"

"Well I'll bend the water and make a wave to take us back to shore and then we're safe"

"Shouldn't we really find a place to hide like a cove or something?"

"All ready ahead of you Zuko there's multiple caves along those shores so as long as we don't pick the one of the ones on the left of a parting we'll be perfectly fine"

"Ok so can you write that down for me?"

"Ughh" I found a small scroll and a pen then scribbled down what Zuko had to do, "there you go now study it and learn it off by heart, oh and one more thing"

"Yeah?"

"What's your blood type?"

"Do you really need to know this?"

"Yes know what is it?"

"O Negative"

"Thank you" I got up and brushed the dust off my clothes and made my way towards the door.

"Wait where are you going?"

"To dinner of course" and I stepped out into the glooming corridor _yes_ I thought to myself _a change of mind_.


	6. Phase One of the Escape Plan

_**Phase One of the Escape Plan**_

**Authors Notes: Hi sorry it's such a short chapter but I'm not very good at writing long ones, oh and by the way you may notice that its changed from first person to third person don't worry I couldn't find a way to do it from Katara and Zuko's point of view, anyway please Read, Review and enjoy!**

After everyone had finished their tea Zuko walked along the corridors of the ship muttering to himself what he had to do with the scroll in his hand.

"To the captain's office switch off fuse when no one is looking, be blood bended onto the deck then jump off ship- easy" he muttered that for some time and finally stopped when he reached the door to the captain's office, he considered whether it was worth doing it but banished thought from his mind- banished, just like he was… _no_ he thought to himself_ I'll get my honour back when I return to the fire nation and take my rightful place on the throne_.

He pushed both doors open and walked through everyone turned and looked at him, several people nodded then went back to their work, other bowed and some people just smiled. He passed them all and looked around for the fuse box. There it was in the corner! He had to make his way to it but needed a distraction. He scanned the room for something to do and the first thing that caught his eye was a pipe running through the room near the floor, all he had to do make a dent or break it.

He cupped his hands together and made a spark then casually walked over to the pipe, knelt down and put his hand near it. He could see the pipe slowly melting away and cursed as his knuckle touched it, he drew his hand back and put out the flame then stood up and turned round.

"There's a pipe leaking can somebody please do something about it?" he pointed towards the pipe as everyone looked round and all rushed to where Zuko was standing as he stepped out of the way. Now was his chance, he crept over to the fuse box and flicked the switch off, immediately all the lights went out and he felt the control be drawn from his body as Katara started to do her work.


	7. Phase Two of the Escape Plan

_**Phase Two of the Escape… Plan**_

I felt the blood of Zuko coursing through his body and manoeuvred it through the ship and down to the deck he walked towards me looking shaken and eyes wide open.

"Next time" he staggered as I stopped bending, "try not to have such tight grip" he fell and ran to catch him only just cradling his fall. I left him there and went over to the side of the ship, the sun was setting and the first star was out. A few minutes later I noticed him walking up to me and turned round to face we faced each other.

"Sunsets are beautiful," Zuko said leaning on the edge of the ship, "just like you"

I raised an eye brow "That was definitely your worst one yet- don't use it again"

"Yeah not my best one"

"Do you think they'll notice you're gone" I asked.

"Stop doubting your own plans Katara" he leant in for a kiss but all of a sudden we heard voices and drew back, I explained to him what was going to happen "ok so just to make sure they don't come after us just as I pull you off the ship you must shout- 'I'll be ok don't come after me' got it?"

"Yep"

"Great here they come"

"What?"

I grabbed onto Zuko's armed and got ready to jump. "One, Two, Three!" and we jumped, luckily Zuko did his part and shouted what he was meant to say so all was going ok until we made a mistake.

I was bending the water that was around us when Zuko started coughing and spluttering so I helped him up above the water and made an ice berg for us to sit on. The struggle had made us change course and we were now heading to the left.

"We did it." Zuko said in amazement.

"Yeah we did it" I said as I laid back on my hands, Zuko lay down on his back and pulled me down too, we looked at each other and started moving closer to each other just as we were about to kiss there was a jolt as we came ashore. I was regaining my balance when I caught a glimpse of Zuko with his head looking up at the sky and his hands together. I gave a short laugh.

"What?"

"Nothing" I said and walked ashore, "Coming?" I asked turning my head round to see him slipping and sliding on the ice berg, I melted it down for him and he stood up, did his dramatic pose of standing with his shoulders back and looking out at the sunset then walked towards me his armour clanking. "We might want to get rid of that." He looked down at his armour and took it off so he was only in his robes, he then threw his armour into the ocean and I bended the water so it was floating adrift in the sea. "That should occupy your crew if they find it." He gave a smile and started to walk up the beach to one of the coves, I followed. Once inside we started talking about how we were going to get back then I lay back on the sand and fell asleep.

My dreams were the weirdest bit of that day and trust me they were pretty freaky. First of all I dreamed that we were in a forest and that I was Aang, I saw me and Zuko and Sokka and Toph. I was looking around when I noticed me looking at Zuko in a lovey way. For some reason I was enraged at it and found myself stomping up to Zuko, I felt warm, hot , boiling and then I felt the ground and my head was spinning. The next thing I was dreaming that I was Sokka (Yukk!) and that we were flying on Appa

. Again I was there, Zuko was there Toph was there and Aang was at the reigns. Again I saw me and Zuko holding hands, I quickly looked at Toph annoyed for some reason and saw her smile as she felt the vibrations I smiled back but I doubt she noticed it. All these meant something I knew it but I wasn't sure what, were me and Zuko not meant to be together? I was jumping to conclusions again.

I woke to Zuko nudging me gently and sat up. "Yes?"

"You look pretty when you're sleeping."

"Get, to the point." He pointed in front of him, the cove, it was starting to fill up with water. "What? How could that have that happened?"

"I'm not sure but I think we changed course when you helped me in the water."

"That's the only reason I could come to see logical. Oh stupid why did I do that?"

"Hey don't be so hard on yourself after all I don't that helping me out when I was drowning was such a bad idea." He smiled at me, I felt calmer. "Katara when you were sleeping you were jolting about quite a bit what were you dreaming about?"

"I wouldn't worry about that Zuko, give me a sec" I bended the water over our heads so we could still breathe. The water rushed in over our heads and I bended the water below us so we could sit on the ground. It was perfect, nothing to disturb us nothing absolutely nothing so I leant in towards him and he leant in towards me and… we kissed I relaxed my grip and the water fell down on us drenching us from head to toe. We both laughed and kissed again.

A perfect ending to a perfect story.


End file.
